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The Case of the Early Boy
The Case of the Early Boy is the eleventh and final short story in the eighth anthology of Biggles Air Police short stories entitled Biggles Flies to Work. The anthology was first published in September, 1963. In the anthology, this story is preceded by The Trick That Failed. Synopsis Gaskin shows Biggles a diamond necklace which was found in a tree in the Ashdown forest. Twenty-four hours before, it was being worn by a princess in Monte Carlo. How did the necklace travel so far so quickly and what was it doing in a tree? Plot (may contain spoilers - click on expand to read) Gaskin shows Biggles a diamond necklace which had been found up a tree in farm field near the New Forest. Less than 24 hours before, the item had been stolen from its owner in Monaco. How did the necklace get so far so quickly? Biggles speaks to the finder, a boy named Tommy Scrimshaw. He had tried to go mushrooming in a field belonging to his father's farm but had to stay away because there was man already quartering the field who told him to clear off. Tommy had then gone birdnesting and had found the necklace on a branch of a tree where he expected to find a jackdaw's nest. Biggles flies down to the field with Ginger. Gaskin is already there with the boy and some constables. Tommy shows them the tree where he found the necklace. Biggles asks Tommy to climb up and look inside the nest again. Puzzled, Tommy complies and finds more jewels: a bracelet and a diamond ring. Biggles explains (and he ought to know) that jackdaws love to pick up shiny objects. The jewels were probably dropped from a plane but something had gone wrong. The case of jewels probably broke on hitting the ground. The man quartering the ground was probably looking for the jewels. He might already have picked up some but since the jackdaws had removed some, it is likely he would be back to continue searching. As expected, a man turns up and begins searching the ground. He doesn't notice Gaskin and the others walking up to him. When Gaskin asks for his purpose, he attempts a weak excuse and then tries to run off but the police constables had been stationed around the field and he is captured. Some other jewels are found in his pockets. Earlier, Tommy asked if he would get the reward for the discovery of the stolen jewels. Biggles tells him they would get to that matter later. Unfortunately the story ends without answering this important question! Characters The Special Air Police/Scotland Yard *Biggles *Ginger Hebblethwaite *Gaskin Others *Tommy Scrimshaw Aircraft *Auster J1 Autocrat Places Visited *London, Scotland Yard - Biggles' office *Gatwick - Air Police Operational Headquarters *East Grinstead near the Ashdown Forest Mentioned Research Notes *This story seems to have the first mention of Gaskin as a Chief Inspector. In his previous appearance in Dawn Patrol, he was still mentioned as simply Inspector. *Compare this story with the very similar plot in Worrals Works It Out, published in 1947. References to the past *Not refered to, but Biggles knew all about jackdaws from his schooldays. See Biggles Goes to School. Incongruities Chronology References Category:Biggles short stories Category:Short stories Category:Air Police era short stories